Pneumatic for player-pianos.



w. T. WAITE. K FNEUMATIC FOR PLAYER PIANOS.

Patented Apr. 18,1916. v 2 SHEETS SHEE l- W. T. WAITE.

PNEUMATIC FOR PLAYER PIANOS. v

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6.1914. 1,179,582. Patented Apr. 18,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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-WILLIAM T. WAITE, OF LAPORTE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR T THE ORPI-IEOLA COMPANY,

OF LAPORTE, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.'

PNEUMATIC FOR PLAYER-PIANOS.

v Specification of Letters Patent.

Fatented Apr. 18, 1916.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM T. VArrn, a citizen of the United Statesresiding at Laporte, in the county of Laporte and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatics for Player- Pianos, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates in general to player pianos and more specifically lto an improved ervoir is used since any abnormal condition in the action, as' where a large number of sustained notes are-registered in the paper passing over the tracker bar, at once results in a loss of power in the motor, causing the slowing of the same. Similarly in the old forms of construction, if the motor is speeded the loss of vacuum available to the action results 'and if volume is required at this time it could not be obtained. Furthermore it has been customary touse spring-controlled reservoirs and since the pull exerted by springs varies with the degree of flexure it has been found that the suction exerted on the motor has not been constant and the speed has, therefore, varied.

One of the improved pneumatic in which the action and motor reservoirs are entirely distinct though operated at the same time and from the same source of power.

' by reference Another object of my invention is to provide means whereby the action and motor are under complete control of the operator and are independent of each other.

Still another object of invention is to provide amotor reservoir whichwill exert a constant suction upon the motor. y

Other objects and advantages will appear as my invention is-more clearly understood to the following specification, when read in connection with the drawings, in whichv f Figure 1 is a front elevation kcfa lower portion-of :al/piane4 .the-front' cat away,

objects of my invention is to- "overcome these difficulties by providing an showing a' pneumatic according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale; Fig. 3 is an elevation of the pneumatic, the action reservoirs being in section; Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 8; Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Figs. 4 and 5, and Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7-7 of Figs. 4 and 5.

0n the drawing, 1 designates generally the lower portion of a player piano with the front removed to show the pneumatic indicated generally as 2 mounted thereon upon suitable brackets 3. Pedals 4 are suitably mounted upon the piano base and are each connected by means of a link 5, a bell-crank 6 and links 7 to a bellows designated generally as 8, which is normally held in its closed position by a spring 9 mounted upon a 'bracket 10 connected to the base of the piano. rlwo bellows are provided as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, each connected to one of the pedals 4. The bellows are of ordinary form each consisting of an inflexible member 11, hinge 12 and flexible members 13' forming the sides of the bellows. Check valves designated generally as 14 are provided in the inflexible members 11 comprising a section of flexible material 15 mounted over openings 16 in said members 11. These valves are adapted to allow air to escape from the bellows when the inflexible members 11 are disposed inwardly under the influence of springs' 9.

The bellows are` mounted upon a framework 17 which is provided with ducts presently to be described. On theopposite side of the framework are mounted the action reservoirs 18. A pipe 19" leads from the action through the duct 20 to one of the reservoirs 18. From this reservoir a duct 21 is provided in the framework 17 leading to the other action reservoir 18 and to the valved openings 22 which lead into the bellows 8. The reservoirs 18 comprise an inflexible member 23 hinged at 24 and provided with flexible side and end members 25 and a spring 26 is `mounted within said reservoirs and tends to hold the same in open position. This spring regulates the degree of vacuum within the reservoir, the inflexible member 23 moving toward and from the spring as the degree of vacuum varies owing to the action of the bellows. The openings l22 are provided. check' valves 27 similar to those mounted onthe inflexible member bottom 34 which and allow air to pass fromv the duct intothe bellows when the bellows are opened by means of the pedals 4. It is, ofcourse, understood that when the bellows arev actuated to draw air ed on the iniiexible lows are closed.

Inthe framework 17 is provided a duct 28 which is connected by pipes 29 and 30 to the mo-tor reservoir 31. Thisgreservoir'is composed of a framework 32 within which is mounted a chamber having flexible sides 33 and a weighted bottom 34. This reservoir, when the 'apparatus is in action, will be under a partial vacuum and the degreel of vacuum will be regulated bythe weighted will rise and fall as the vacuum is increased or decreased owing to the action of the bellows. Since the pull exerted by the weight is constant at all positions the suction exerted on the motor will be constant at all times.

The duct 28 is connected through valved openings 35` with the bellows 8, valves 36 belng provided of the same form as those described in connection with the outlet valves 14 on the inflexible member 11 of the bellows 8, the valves 36 being adapted to open and allow lair to pass from theduct 28 into the bellows when the bellows are actuated by the pedals 4.

vThe operation of my device will be more readily understood by following the course of the airv as indicated by arrows in Figs.` 4 and 5. When the bellows are actuated by the pedals 4 air is drawn from the action reservoirs 18, thus creating avacuum therein. The air passes through the duct 21, valved openings 22 into the bellows 8 and as the bellows are actuated by the spring 9 the air is forced out through the check valves 14. The vacuum created in thereservoirs 18tends to drawk air lthrough the pipe 19 fromfthe action (not shown). vThe second action reservoir l18 acts in this connection as an auxiliary merely tending to regulate the degree of vacuum vwhich is maintained in the reservoirs, the two reservoirs 18 being connected by the duct 21. During the operation of the bellows air is sucked from the motor reservoir 31 through the pipes 30 and 29 to the duct 28 and thence through the valved openings 35 into the bellows 8 and is forced from the lbellows when the same is closed under the action of the springs 9.

In the pneumatic,'accordin'g to my invention, both the action and motor reservoirs are connected through separate ducts to the -vors whenthe pedals are operated. I

from the duct 21 through the valved openings 22 the valves 14 mount-- members 11 of the bel- It will be seen that the action and motor 'reservoirs are entirely independent of each other and hence an abnormal drain upon one of these reservoirs will not in any way affect the action of the other. By the use of my invention it is, therefore, possible tovobviate the difficulties which are inherent in all previous devices of this sort in which a single reservoir vhas been provided for both the action and the motor and it is possible by use of my invention for the operator to -regulate either the action or the motor without -in any way aecting the operation of the other. l

It will be further seen that I vhave `provided -a vnovel form of motor reservoir in which the weight acting constantly will cause the suction exerted on the motor to be uniform at all times, thus insuring against ,undesirable variation of the speed of the motor. e'

It will be apparent that various changes may be made in theform, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, or sacrificing any of its material advantages, the form` hereinbefore disclosed .being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim: q

1. In a device of the ,character described, the combination of an action reservoir of variable capacity, a motorreservoir of variable capacity, and a singlev means independently connected to each of said reservoirs for creating al partial vacuum therein. 2. In a device ofthe character described, the combination of an action reservoir of variable capacity, a motor reservoir of variable capacity, and a single means for creating a partial vacuumin each of said reservoirs comprising suction means, and Aindependent ducts leading therefrom to said reservoirs. y

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of'an action reservoir ofrvariable capacity, a motor reservoir of variable capacity, bellows for creating a partial vacuum in said reservoirs, and independent ducts leading from said bellows to said reservoirs,

`whereby a partial vacuum is produced in each reservoir. f l Y.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of an action reservoir of variable capacity, a motor reservoir of variable capacity, and means for creatinga partial vacuum in eachl of said reservoirs comprisl ing suction means and independent valvereservoir to said bellows, a separate duct leading from the motor reservoir to said bellows, and means Jfor operating said bellows.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of an action reservoir of variable capacity, a motor reservoir of variable capacity, spring-controlled means independently connected to each of said reservoirsfor creating a partial vacuum therein, and means 'for actuating said spring-controlled means.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of a frame, action reservoirs of variable capacity mounted at either end of said frame, bellows mounted on the opposite side of said frame, an independent motor reservoir of variable capacity, and independent ducts within the frame connecting the motor and action reservoirs with said bellows.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination of a frame, action reservoirs of variable capacity mounted at either end of said frame, bellows mounted upon the opposite side of said frame, an independent motor reservoir of variable capacity, independent ducts within the frame connecting the motor and action reservoirs with the bellows, and means for operating the bellows.

Copies of this patent may 'be abtained for ve cents each, by addressing the 9. In a device of the character described, the combination of an action reservoir, a weight-controlled motor reservoir, and a single means for creating a partial vacuum in each of said reservoirs.

10. In a device of the character described, the combination of an action reservoir, a motor reservoir comprising a frame, an airtight chamber having exible sides and a weighted bottom mounted in the frame, and means for creating a partial vacuum in each of said reservoirs.

11. In a device of the character described, the combination of spring-controlled action reservoirs, a weight-controlled motor reservoir, and a single means for simultaneously creating a partial vacuum in each of said reservoirs comprising suction means and separate ducts leading therefrom to said reservoirs.

l2. In a device of the character described, a pneumatic reservoir comprising a frame, an air-tight chamber mounted on said frame, a weightedr bottomfor said chamber, and means for creating a partial vacuum within said chamber.

WILLIAM T. WAITE.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

